The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation to trace its alumni.

The project was created to identify current and emerging leaders in the health systems of low and middle income countries and to build an influential alumni network of global health practitioners.

Through developing LSHTM's relationships with alumni, providing alumni with greater opportunities to interact with the School and each other, LSHTM can strengthen capacity building and develop improved healthcare systems and better support for those in leadership positions.

Activities funded by this grant include an advertising campaign encouraging alumni to reconnect with the School, a short-term researcher to identify lost alumni, giving alumni access to the alumni database to facilitate online networking, and an online and postal career survey to all alumni. By the end of the project LSHTM will have a clear picture of the career destinations of all LSHTM graduates. The School will be able to map the employment activities of alumni in over 190 countries and access how well LSHTM degrees equip graduates for key leadership roles.

Alice Perry, Alumni Relations Manager says "We are incredibly excited by the opportunity made available by this unique grant. Many universities trace their alumni as they recognise how an active alumni body can benefit them. For example, alumni can become involved in their fundraising or student recruitment activities. This grant recognises that an active alumni association can generate much wider social benefits.

"LSHTM alumni tend to be community driven, altruistic, passionate public health advocates. Our Global Health Alumni network enhances alumni's ability to respond to the needs of the communities they serve. This network is invaluable in rapid response situations such as natural disasters, where contact with other local and international specialists in a wide variety of public health fields increases the expertise and support available to the effected community. The network will provide excellent opportunities for collaboration, mentoring, advocacy and fellowship. The project will interconnect alumni in key positions in global health systems. It allows the School to meanfully engage alumni in the delivery of the School's mission to contribute to the improvement of health worldwide through informing policy and practice in these areas."

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